President of India Condoles the Passing Away of Shri Ashok Ghosh

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of veteran Forward Bloc Leader, Shri Ashok Ghosh.

In a message to Mr. Debabrata Biswas, General Secretary, All India Forward Bloc, the President said that he was sad at the demise of veteran Forward Bloc Leader Shri Ashok Ghosh who played a vital role in the formation of the first and second United Front government consisting of Bangla Congress, Forward Bloc, L.S.S. (Lok Sabha Sangh), C.P.M., C.P.I., R.S.P. (Revolutionary Socialist Party) etc.

The President said Mr. Ashok Ghosh was a freedom fighter, senior most West Bengal left leader and a rare politician. He never aspired to be a member of legislature or to be a minister, though he made several Forward Bloc leaders as MLAs, MPs and Ministers from Bengal for many years. He joined the freedom struggle inspired by the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and built the Subhas Chandra Bose founded All India Forward Bloc into an important political force. The political career of Shri Ghosh spanned over seven decades. In conformity with the political traditions of pre independence days, he lived a spartan life and did not marry. He spent most of his life in the party office.

The President said that he knew Mr. Ghosh for more than 5 decades. He always enjoyed a fund of affection and goodwill from Mr. Ghosh, since the beginning of his political career in the early sixties.

The President said in death of Mr. Ghosh, the working class movement and left movement in the nation will find a vacuum difficult to fill. We will always miss his towering personality, which guided us in trial and trouble. He joins millions of the nation in paying my humble tribute to this great son and revolutionary leader of Bengal.

This release issued at 1155 hrs.